Plain And Simple
by IDigTheFuzzyDude
Summary: In which two of our favorite foursome have an interesting conversation, and come to some even more interesting conclusions. [Kiba x Toboe]


Author: IDigTheFuzzyDude (aka: Edainme)

PG-13 (Safety Precautions, or something.)

Summary: Wherein light conversation turns into dawning realization. Rhyme scheme, anyone?

First fic. As in, ever. Maybe slight OOC-ness, as this was the result of insomnia, but was too good to pass up. Any sort of response is welcome.

Note: Ahoy! For whoever has stumbled upon this wee little ficlet- I'm truly sorry. Heh, nah. I really hope that I can get the point across, because it sounded REALLY cute in my head. But then, this is **_me_ **we're talking about...Er, anyway, on with the show! Or story. Or something.

This is post Taken!Cheza, pre Blue, in case you were wondering.  
  
**Plain and Simple**  
  
Evenings were good for thinking. That's what he always figured, anyway, which would explain why he was currently sitting on the hilltop, staring out into the distance, contemplatively. The slowly setting sun had set the sky alight with a blazing orange that was streaked with hot, nearly neon pink, making the surrounding clouds appear purple in contrast. It was a lovely sight, had one been paying attention. But then, he really wasn't, so it didn't matter.  
  
At the moment, Kiba was thinking about Paradise. This wasn't really suprising, as it had been his main focus for longer than he cared to remember. More importantly, he was thinking about how to get there. In order for that to occur, they had to get Cheza back, which would prove to be difficult if he had any idea. Hopefully, though, his newfound friends would stick it out with him on the journey.  
  
Friends. He hadn't really had any before, he'd had no need for them. It was a strange feeling, having others around you all the time. Strange, but not unpleasant. In fact, it was often quite entertaining on account of the clashing personalities in which they all shared. Take Hige, for instance. Hige was often clowning around, providing the majority of the comic relief as if to ease the tense atmosphere that seemed to follow them wherever they went. Kiba appreciated it, although he never said anything. Needless to say, Tsume didn't.  
  
Tsume. _That_ was a character. The most contradictory man Kiba had ever laid eyes on, as it were. Scoffing at how ridiculous their search was one minute, and defending them the very next. No matter how much he argued over the belief in Paradise, he was always there with them, helping them along. This was usually accompanied by mocking and arguing with Hige, and that provided entertainment as well. Of course, Kiba had his suspicions on why so many fights occurred, but he didn't broach the subject.  
  
Then there was Toboe. The epitome of grand naivete. He often wondered if the boy had any concept of the evils of the world. He imagined he did, he just didn't really understand. The boy wanted everyone to be able to coexist and live peacefully.  
  
Kiba just wanted to live.  
  
The white wolf watched with unseeing eyes as the sun slowly crept under the line of the horizon, but was jolted out of his reverie by the presence of another at his side.  
  
Toboe plopped down beside Kiba rather ungracefully, eyeing the dying light along with his companion. The two sat there in the silence for a few moments, before the more recent observer spoke.  
  
"So, uh...Where'd Tsume and Hige go?" he asked, rather unsure of what to say. He didn't know what had possessed him to join his friend at that moment, but there wasn't anything he could do about it now.  
  
"They're off searching for food," came the quiet reply.  
  
"Which translates to Hige got hungry, and Tsume went along to make sure he didn't get killed and to aggravate him?"  
  
Kiba's lips twitched. "That pretty much sums it up, yes." Toboe looked pensive.  
  
"Why are they always doing that?"  
  
"Doing what, exactly?"  
  
"You know...Bothering each other. It seems like they go out of their way to make each other angry."  
  
The other's lips twitched again, this time more apparant. "That would be a result of unresolved sexual tension." He peered over at the other boy's face, which was now tinged with scarlet on account of the blunt statement.  
  
"How do you know?"  
  
"You mean you didn't?"  
  
Toboe shook his head, his tawny tresses moving in synchronization with the action. "Well...I sort of figured it, I guess. I just didn't know you knew. You never said anything."  
  
"That's because they need to figure it out on their own."  
  
Toboe looked up at his friend, confusion leaking into his brandy eyes. "But if they like each other...Why do they still act like that?"  
  
"Because they both have too much pride to admit it. They're going to let it stir until it explodes out of them."  
  
Toboe blinked at the sudden mental image of the two spontaneously combusting. "That's just stupid."  
  
At that, the older boy's mouth formed a rare smile. "Oh?"  
  
"Well, yeah." Toboe's thoughtful glance was centered on him. "All they're doing is making each other, and themselves, miserable."  
  
"Yes, but sooner or later, they'll break."  
  
"If they don't kill each other first."  
  
"I doubt that'll happen."  
  
"Is that why you let them go hunting by themselves?" the younger boy asked, grinning.  
  
"They'll thank me later. On the inside, of course."  
  
The thought of why Kiba was talking so much flitted across Toboe's mind as his chuckles subsided. _'Oh well, I'm not going to complain.'  
  
_"I still think it's stupid." Kiba said nothing, waiting for the other to continue.  
  
"I mean...If I liked someone," his cheeks turned pink suddenly, and Kiba watched, intrigued on how easy it was to get the boy to blush. "If I liked someone that much, I'd..."  
  
"You'd what?"  
  
"I'd tell them." he finished in a rush, before leaning back on his elbows.  
  
"You would." It wasn't a question of disbelief, but rather a wry statement.  
  
"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?"  
  
"It means you're too trusting and too forgiving for your own good." The words weren't harsh, but merely stating a fact. Toboe still looked peeved.  
  
"What are you saying?"  
  
"What if the person didn't like you back?"  
  
The question startled Toboe, and he looked a bit sheepish. "I guess I hadn't really thought of that." His brows knit, thoughtfully. "Is that why they act the way they do? They don't want to get rejected, so they act like they hate each other?"  
  
"Probably."  
  
Toboe was silent for a moment.  
  
"I'd still tell them."  
  
Kiba's expression was nearly incredulous, before melting back into it's previous serenity. "I don't doubt it."  
  
"Well I'd rather get hurt than not knowing and having it eat me up inside!"  
  
The elder wolf said nothing, just stared down at him in a way that made him flush for the third time that evening. His cheeks became brighter as the man seemed to be fighting a laugh at his expense and leaned down, looking him dead in the eyes.  
  
"Someone like you shouldn't have to be miserable."  
  
The softly spoken words made his eyes widen as he was caught in a haze of cerulean, and in the process of his brain frying at their close proximity he lost his balance on his arms and hit the ground with a soft 'thud'.  
  
"Ahh, dammit!"  
  
Kiba's voice was laced with amusement. "Did you just swear?"  
  
Toboe's cheeks burned-again-and he made a face. "It's Tsume's fault, he's rubbing off on me. And it hurt! And-oh." He stared at his left hand, which was smeared with blood. A treacherous stick poked out from under the boy's hip, obviously the cause of the injury.  
  
Kiba snorted. "That might be why," he said unneccessarily, catching the hand in one of his own and examining it clinically.  
  
Well, it _would_ have been clinical had his tongue not proceeded to clean the wound of its own volition.  
  
Toboe emitted a faint squeak and then shuddered at the feeling of the lapping at his skin, his eyes shutting on their own accord. The mouth at his hand suddenly stopped and he felt warm breath fanning his cheek. His eyes cracked open and then widened almost comically at the boy above him. Brilliant blue irises bored into his own, hazy with amusement, confusion and...  
  
...Appreciation?  
  
He gulped.  
  
This was _not_ good.  
  
_Was it?_  
  
He might have considered the issue more, but then the other boy's mouth was covering his own and fireworks exploded behind his eyes. Toboe wondered briefly if their other companions knew what this felt like- And then he mentally beat himself in the head with a stick for thinking of _them_ at a time like this because he was dizzy and heady and Kiba was a _really_ good kisser.  
  
They then broke apart, and the arms on either side of his head moved away and he whimpered at the loss of contact, only to find the other wolf had settled beside him, breathing heavily.  
  
Another silence ensued, though not an uncomfortable one, and it was again Toboe who broke it.  
  
"Hey...Kiba?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"I..uh...I think I kinda like you."  
  
Kiba was quiet a moment, and Toboe feared the worst. And then the other boy actually began to laugh, his shoulders brushing Toboe's with the movement.  
  
"Well I think I kinda like you, too."  
  
So they laid there, watching the sun finally disappear under the skyline, and it was then that Toboe realized that Tsume and Hige hadn't yet returned from their search. He wasn't really surprised.  
  
And the more he thought about is, he really couldn't have cared less.

**-fin-**  
  
Note: Oh God, I hope I don't get murdered for this. Like I said, it sounded REALLY cute in my head. Granted, it was at four in the morning, but, well, yeah. Review! YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO!


End file.
